16th September, 2014
Damilare Okunola
President, Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, has made a passionate appeal to tennis clubs across the country to help the Nigerian players by sponsoring them to attend International Tennis Federation, ITF-rated circuits.
Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC President, expressed his desire to see clubs taking up some of the top players and sponsor them on a regular basis.
He stated that this would conform to the best practices in the world where players attend many tournaments where they get ATP rankings.
“With the Governor’s Cup all but suspended for this year, the players may not get to play any ITF-rated tournament, which the federation is very sad about.
“For this reason, we appeal to tennis clubs all over the country to pick up some of these players especially the top ranked among them and sponsor them to play outside the country.
“We need them to travel around, even if it is within West Africa alone, to play circuits. The federation cannot do this alone, that’s why we need the clubs to come to our aid,” Ndanusa said.
The NTF Boss also asked tennis clubs to emulate the Tennis Section of Ikoyi Club 1938, which came up with a top notch exhibition tourney for the country’s top tennis players recently.
He said: “Those of us, who were there, including you, saw the atmosphere and what the reception was like. If other tennis clubs in the state can come up with such innovations, we will not be complaining of inadequate tournaments in the country anymore.
“In December, we will have the Ikoyi Masters also at the Tennis Section of Ikoyi Club 1938, which, I must confess, gladdens my heart immensely. If others can do this as well Nigerian tennis will surely peak again.”